Maybe all you Need is Someone who'll Listen
by Roranopa
Summary: Set in the alternative universe from the shippuden movie Road to Ninja. Both Shino and Ino have the same problem, they feel ignored. Perhaps all they need is someone who will listen.


"Please Choji, just take him to the barbecue restaurant" she pleaded as she took some money out of her apron "today I'll pay for the meal".  
"But won't you come along? It's your money after all" said Choji. "I need to stay, my parents are not home so I have to tend the store until we close".  
"Man I could eat the whole buffet, I'm starving! Can we hurry?" Shikamaru said as Choji shot him a disapproving glance. "It's fine, I'm not really hungry anyway, have fun!" Ino said practically pushing them to the exit.  
Shikamaru and Choji went through the doors finally letting silence fill the flower shop.

Ino sat behind the counter, softly arranging the ribbon of a small vase as she waited for another customer. Lately those two argued about everything, mostly about how careless Shikamaru was. She had grown tired of them ignoring her interventions, so this time she chose to take the easy way out and let them resolve their fight on their own. She rather enjoyed the silence for it let her concentrate better.

Ino lifted a small note that requested a small flower bouquet, she smiled. The vague descriptions were the ones she loved the most because she was given a free license to use whichever flowers she wanted. She took out a cream coloured wrapping paper and placed it on top of the counter, she then ran to pick up the flowers from the boxes in front of her. She took three irises and a few branches of white gyp, carried them back to behind the counter and cleaned them up to finish the arrangement. She took the bouquet in her hands to check the colours matched, but somehow she couldn't help but feel something was missing. She lowered it to the counter and ran back to the flower boxes, specifically to the ones she had planted to keep a permanent stash.

She couldn't deny that she had a favourite flower amongst the tall ones that stood proudly before her. Carefully she reached for the ones on the back, picked up the garden scissors and stretched the small violets' stems to cut them for the bouquet. She then placed the small flowers between the irises, giving the bouquet a little bit of contrast and a discreet but powerful scent.

She was so concentrated on the task at hand that she didn't notice when Shino entered the store. Finally happy with the finished product she wrapped the flowers with the paper on her counter; quickly she turned around to search for the final touch: a red bow. Shino then silently moved to the counter, a little annoyed that she hadn't noticed him get in the store, still not daring to interrupt her sudden break of inspiration.

Ino rummaged through the reels of plastic and fabric ribbons searching for the perfect one, her hands stopped at a silk ribbon which she remembered to be red. She took the reel and stretched the thin fabric from the wooden sticks on the shelf towards her hips; without letting go of the ribbon, she opened the drawer next to her left leg and took out the scissors.

To Shino it almost looked like she was dancing; her moves were delicate yet determined, confident. The girl turned around waking up from her daze as she realized he was there watching her. She shrieked and let the scissors fall from her hands. "Shino, you scared me!" she said as she picked them up. "Good afternoon" he said simply.

"Good afternoon, just hang on I will finish this quickly" Ino said as she picked up the scissors and wrapped the bouquet with the ribbon, he nodded and stood there quietly. Once she was done she placed the bouquet on the shelf behind her and then looked at him. "I apologize. I did not intend to scare you, but I didn't think it was polite to interrupt you because you seemed very focused at completing your task".

"It's all right" Ino said "what were you searching for?".

"A plant" he said. "What kind of plant Shino?" she asked, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. "Preferably one that doesn't attract bugs" he said.

"Well then we can rule out flowers, maybe you would like a fern or maybe a cactus?" she asked as she walked past him towards the flower boxes. "Perhaps a cactus is the best choice, but then again, some of them have flowers". Ino raised her head, thinking carefully. "Have you considered a plant that may attract bugs but to your benefit?".  
He remained stoic, almost puzzled. A little embarrassed at her rash statement, she ran towards the glass container on the left wall of the shop, opened the door and took a small green plant from inside it. Ino walked towards him and propped the plant up so he could see it. "It's a Venus fly trap" she said shyly "it attracts bugs to eat them".

"It will do" he said after a pause. Her mind raced from thought to thought. Shino was from the Aburame clan, famous for the use of bugs in battle. But if she remembered correctly, ever since the Ninja Academy he was disgusted of them. She had always wondered how he had overcome this.

"If you don't mind me asking, ummm... nevermind" she said biting back her question. "I don't mind. I wanted a plant for my collection which I keep in my room but since some of the plants I have attract bugs I keep the window shut; however I can no longer keep it closed because of the heat hence my need for a plant that doesn't attract bugs" he replied.

"I...uh, ok" Ino said while she put the plant inside a bag, not daring to tell him that wasn't the question she was going to ask. "Have a nice day" she said as she waved her hand.

Before he was out of the store, he stopped in his tracks and faced her. "You should speak your mind without fear. You are very insightful, a trait that leaders posses, which you could use in your and your team's favour... Ino".

The girl blushed, she didn't know what to make of the information just given to her. All she did was nod; Shino turned around and left while Ino sat down behind the counter and thought about the words he had just said.

* * *

I took a chance with the concept of 'everything's the opposite for no reason'. Fixed it.


End file.
